LS1 Battery Relocation - Which Weigh To Go?

Put That Heavy Battery In The Stern Where It Belongs

Step By Step

It's not strictly necessary, but it is a good idea to locate the power switch in a weatherproof space. I chose this spot on the rear bulkhead because it allowed easy backside access to the mounting hardware and simple routing for the external pull handle. Just use a utility knife to trim away the sound deadener.

Weight is definitely not an ally in the pursuit of quick timeslips. Sir Isaac Newton's Second Law of Motion goes something like: The acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. What Ike is trying to say is the heavier your car, the more power is required to accelerate it.

Once you have rid your ride of superfluous weight, such as the boom-boom stereo, neon light kit and jeweled crown air freshener, you need to look at placement of the necessary items. For drag racing, moving the weight toward the rear of the car can significantly improve a car's traction by improving weight transfer. The battery is an ideal candidate for relocation arrears, as it is heavy and simple to move. Follow along as we show you this easy mod and the safety considerations to make your car race ready.

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LS1 Battery Relocation - Which Weigh To Go?

It's not strictly necessary, but it is a good idea to locate the power switch in a weatherproof space. I chose this spot on the rear bulkhead because it allowed easy backside access to the mounting hardware and simple routing for the external pull handle. Just use a utility knife to trim away the sound deadener.

Moroso supplied a flat mounting bracket with this switch (more on the switch in a second...), but a 90-degree angle (and therefore a bit of welding) was needed to locate it in my desired position. A short piece of shelving bracket worked well for this. Once welded, give it a quick coat of paint to prevent corrosion.

Once the paint on your new bracket has dried, you can mount the switch, but don't tighten it yet. You'll need to mock it up in its final position to ensure proper operation.

NHRA rules say push/pull mechanisms must move to the OFF position when pushed. This is easily addressed at the time of assembly. The remote location shut-off mechanism is also from Moroso, consisting of a lever with heim joint and a plastic T handle, plus all of the miscellaneous brackets and bits you'll need to make it work.

I wanted to put the switch handle in an unobtrusive location, so next to the license plate seemed as good a place as any. Though this is a good spot to drill, a small bit of modification to the license plate will be required.

Now the scary part: drilling the hole. You will need a L-O-N-G drill bit (think 18 inches) for this because you are not only drilling through the bumper cover, but the reinforcing bumper material and the steel rear bulkhead of the passenger compartment. Be careful to drill both straight and level.

With the hole drilled, run the switch handle rod into the passenger compartment and use it to locate the proper position and orientation of the switch. Remember to orient the switch so that pushing the handle opens the switch and interrupts power to the car.

The battery tray must be securely mounted, as you sure don't want a 40-pound projectile in the car should you be involved in an accident. A battery box is required by NHRA when there is no firewall between driver's compartment and battery, as is the case in all third and fourth generation F-bodies. I selected this 3 piece .040-inch aluminum battery box and tray from Taylor because it will hold most battery sizes, comes with a heavy duty, one-piece welded battery hold down, a complete set of hardware and it allows access without removing the battery from the box. I bolted the tray directly to the floor of the storage area as shown.

You can now install the battery. You can get away with re-using your stocker, but I chose to upgrade to an Optima Yellow Top for its reserve cranking power. If you are reinstalling the carpet in your car, you should probably do so now, otherwise you will have to take everything apart again to do it later.

Next, I drilled separate holes for both the positive and ground cables through the passenger side bulkhead of the storage well. The ground cable is bolted to the subframe while the positive cable is run forward to the starter.

While you can get away with lesser cable, I chose this premium 2-gauge welding cable. While I would have preferred 0-gauge, this was the largest cable the local welding store had in stock. As always, be sure to install grommets everywhere wires or cables pass through sheetmetal. Failure to do so will allow the sheetmetal to saw through the wire sheath, resulting in lots of pretty sparks!.

Route the positive wire to the inside of the subframe on its way to the front of the car. This will offer some degree of protection in case of the worst. Secure it with insulated clamps like those shown here.

Welding cable offers more flexibility than most battery cable, making it easier to route.

Here's a look at the finished installation inside the car. The bolts on the near side of the box secure a fuse block and relays for the car's fuel system. Wingnuts secure the box lid and allow for quick access to the battery. If you are using a non-sealed battery, you will also need to run the supplied (with the battery box) vent tube to the outside of the car.

Here is the small notch in the license plate to allow clearance for the actuator. The shut off switch needs to be clearly labeled so track officials can easily and quickly kill power to the car if the need should arise. If you would prefer not to permanently deface your car you can do like I did. Yes, I found yet another use for duct tape!

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